Potato and potato chip flavor and aroma

ABSTRACT

A flavor and aroma reminiscent of potato and potato chip is prepared by heating methionine or a mixture of methionine and a reducing sugar, such as glucose, in the presence of an oil, such as a cooking oil, e.g. corn oil, such as heating under deep fat frying conditions. The resulting oil can be used as a salad oil or as an ingredient of a salad dressing or soups, such as potato soup or tomato soup, or can be used as a frying oil or applied to food products since the the resulting oil has a potato and potato chip flavor and aroma. A potato and potato chip flavor and aroma can also be imparted to foods, including food of animal or vegetable origin, including sea food, such as snack foods prepared from starch or flour, by applying or incorporating methionine in such foods followed by heating, such as deep fat frying. Additionally, a potato chip of improved taste can be obtained by adding methionine to potato slices and then frying in oil or by employing in the manufacture of potato chips a cooking or deep fat frying oil containing methionine or an admixture of methionine and a reducing sugar, such as glucose.

United States Patent 72] Inventors Stephen S. Chang East Brunswick;Boyapalle Rami Reddy, Piscataway, both of J. [21] Appl. No. 751,335 [22]Filed Aug. 9, 1968 [45] Patented Nov. 9, 1971 [73] Assignee ResearchCorporation New York, N.Y.

[54] POTATO AND POTATO CHIP FLAVOR AND AROMA 5 Claims, No Drawings [52]U.S. Cl 99/140, 99/1 18 [51] Int. Cl A23l 1/22 [50] Field of Search99/118, i 140, 163, 100

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,934,437 4/1960 Morton 99/140 3,102,817 9/1963 Green... 99/140 3,480,447 11/1969 Hack.....

Primary Examiner-Norman Yudkoff Assistant Examiner-Martin G. MullenAttorneys-Robert S. Dunham. P E. Henninger, Lester W. Clark, Gerald W.Griffin, Thomas F. Moran, Howard J. Churchill, R. Bradlee Boal andChristopher C. Dunham ABSTRACT: A flavor and aroma reminiscent of potatoand potato chip is prepared by heating methionine or a mixture ofmethionine and a reducing sugar, such as glucose, in the presence of anoil, such as a cooking oil, e.g. corn oil, such as heating under deepfat frying conditions. The resulting oil can be used as a salad oil oras an ingredient of a salad dressing or soups, such as potato soup ortomato soup, or can be used as a frying oil or applied to food productssince the the resulting oil has a potato and potato chip flavor andaroma. A potato and potato chip flavor and aroma can also be imparted tofoods, including food of animal or vegetable origin, including sea food,such as snack foods prepared from starch or flour, by applying orincorporating methionine in such foods followed by heating, such as deepfat frying. Additionally, a potato chip of improved taste can beobtained by adding methionine to potato slices and then frying in oil orby employing in the manufacture of potato chips a cooking or deep fatfrying oil containing methionine or an admixture of methionine and areducing sugar, such as glucose.

POTATO AND POTATO CHIP FLAVOR AND AROMA This invention relates to foodproducts and the preparation of food products. More particularly, thisinvention is directed to the preparation of a flavor materialreminiscent of potato chip and potato and a method of preparing foodproducts having a potato and potato chip flavor and aroma.

Various techniques have been disclosed for improving the flavor andquality of food products, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,589,591 and 3,268,551. Inthe food industry, particularly in the snack food industry, it isespecially desirable to produce a flavor material capable of impartingto food a potato chip flavor. For example, it would be particularlydesirable to be able to impart a potato chip flavor and aroma to snackfoods prepared from starch, meal or flour, particularly snack foodsprepared from corn starch, potato starch, waxy maize starch, tapioca,corn meal, wheat flour, soya flour, soy bean protein and/or amylopectinwhich may or may not be pregelatinized, since these foods when preparedby baking or by deep fat frying do not possess to the desired extent apotato chip flavor or aroma. v

It is an object of this invention to provide a process for imparting apotato or potato chip flavor and aroma to food products and the like.

It is another object of this invention to prepare a flavor materialhaving a flavor and aroma reminiscent of potato and potato chip.

Another object of this invention is to prepare an oil such as an oilsuitable for use as a cooking oil or as a component of a salad dressingand possessing a potato chip flavor and aroma and/or capable ofimparting a potato chip flavor and aroma to the products admixedtherewith or prepared therefrom, such as food products cooked orprocessed, e.g. by deep fat frying, by means of such an oil. I

How these and other objects of this invention are achieved will becomeapparent in the light of the accompanying disclosure. in at least oneembodiment of the practice of this invention at least one of theforegoing objects will be achieved.

It has been discovered that methionine or methionine in admixture with areducing sugar, such as glucose, when subjected to heating, such asheating in the presence of oil, e.g. deep fat frying, produces a flavorand aroma reminiscent of potato and potato chip. It has also beenobserved that the produced flavor possesses a tomato flavor note whichis more noticeable when the flavor is produced in accordance with thisinvention at the lower temperature range.

In the preparation of the potato and potato chip flavor and aroma inaccordance with this invention substantially any oil may be employed.Suitable such oils, especially those fit for human consumption, includethe well known animal and vegetable oils and fats, e.g. lard, tallow,coconut oil, palm kernel oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, soya oil, peanutoil and safflower oil. Also suitable are the various hydrogenated oilseither saturated or unsaturated, normally liquid or normally solid. Ifin the practice of this invention the potato and potato chip flavor andaroma ingredients are to be separately recovered or concentrated, oils,such as mineral oil or synthetic oils, e.g. silicone oil, usually notconsidered edible oils, may be employed.

The potato and potato chip flavor and aroma appears to be brought aboutby the heating of methionine in the presence of oil, such as by heatingunder deep fat frying conditions, i.e. heating methionine in oil in thepresence of water and with some access to or in contact with air or in anitrogen or other substantially inert atmosphere. Usually a temperatureupwards of about 100? C., such as a temperature in the range l-220 C.,particularly a temperature of about l80-l85 C., more or less, iseffective when heating methionine in the presence of oil as under deepfat frying conditions, to produce the desired potato and potato chipflavor and aroma. Higher temperatures upwards of 200 C., more or less,up to about 220 C. might be employed, if desired. Effective andsatisfactory results are obtained when methionine is heated at atemperature of about 185 C. When simplyheating methionine in thepresence of oil, preferably with agitation or stirring, the

desirable aroma begins to be generated at a temperature as low as about40-50 C. However, the most desirable temperature range for heating isthe temperature range -l30 C., although temperatures in the ranges 5090C. and -220 C. yield satisfactory results. 7

If desired, there may be admixed with the methionine a minor amount ofreducing sugar, such as glucose, although the presence of a reducingsugar for the. production of the desired potato chip flavor and aroma isnot essential. Some desirable results are obtained, particularly withrespect to the quality of the food material processed, when inaccordance with the practices of this invention the methionine containsa reducing sugar admixed therewith. Other reducing sugars suitable foruse in this invention are known and include maltose and lactose.

It has been observed that the temperature requirements to produce thedesired flavor and aromawhen methionine is heated in the presence of oilas opposed to methionine when heated in oil under deep fat fryingconditions are somewhat different. For example, when methionine or amixture of methionine or a reducing sugar, such as glucose, is suspendedin oil or added to oil, and the oil then heated with agitation either inthe presence of air or in a substantially inert atmosphere, such as inthe presence of nitrogen, which may be bubbled through or swept over theheated oil to carry away the resulting produced odor and flavormaterials, a good aroma and flavor is produced at an atmosphere as lowas 50 C. The aroma and flavor become more intense as the temperature israised. At 1 10 C. a strong odor and aroma are noticeable. At atemperature of above about 130 C. under these conditions it appears thatthe quality of the aroma and flavor begins to deteriorate. Whenmethionine is heated in oil under deep fat frying conditions,temperatures above 100 C. in the deep fat frying temperature range areemployed, for example a temperature of about C. When methionine or amixture of methionine and a reducing sugar, such as glucose, dissolvedand/or suspended in water is applied to cotton balls and the resultingwetted cotton balls then immersed in oil under deep fat fryingconditions a good aroma and flavor are generated. It would appear thatequivalent results would also be obtained if an aqueous solution and/ordispersion of methionine was added directly to the heated oil maintainedat deep fat frying temperature.

The flavor and aroma generated by heating methionine or an admixture ofmethionine and a reducing sugar in the presence of oil or under deep fatfrying conditions can be recovered and added to food products to enhanceand to improve their aroma and flavor and/or to impart a potato andpotato chip flavor and aroma thereto. As mentioned hereinabove theflavor also possesses a tomato flavor note. The production and recoveryof a potato and potato chip flavor can readily be carried out bysubjecting methionine to deep fat frying followed by recovery of theresulting volatilized or vaporized materials. The vaporized andvolatilized materials either before or after fractionation may beincorporated in a suitable carrier, liquid or solid, and then applied tofoods or employed in the preparation of foods so as to impart a potatoand/or potato chip flavor and aroma thereto.

In accordance with another embodiment of the practice of this invention,it has been discovered that an oil employed in the heating ofmethionine, such as an oil subjected to deep fat frying conditions inthe presence of methionine, can be further treated by removing therefromthe more volatile components. The resulting oil can be subjected tosteam distillation, preferably vacuum steam distillation. It has beenobserved that an oil so treated, although evidencing a reduced strengthin its aroma and flavor, nevertheless shows an improved quality withrespect to its aroma and flavor. The aroma and flavor of the oil becomeseven more pleasant and desirable. The resulting oil can be used toproduce food products with a potato and potato chip flavor. For example,it may be used as the frying medium for potato chips and other snackfoods and it may be used to spray on food products prepared as asubstitute for potato chips. It may also be used as a salad oil and asan ingredient of salad dressings and soups.

In accordance with yet another embodiment of this invention a foodproduct possessing a potato and potato chip flavor and aroma may beprepared by incorporating methionine or an admixture of methionine and areducing sugar in a food product during processing and then subjectingthe food product to heating, such as by baking or by heating in thepresence of oil or under deep fat frying conditions in order to developthe desired aroma and flavor therein. In still another embodiment ofthis invention, cooking oil has dissolved and/or dispersed therein anamount of methionine or methionine and reducing sugar, such as glucose,sufficient so that upon heating the oil there is produced an aroma andflavor reminiscent of potato and potato chip.

Tests have demonstrated that methionine does not produce the strongpleasant aroma and flavor reminiscent of potato and potato chip underconditions other than by heating in accordance with this invention inthe presence of oil or under deep fat frying conditions. For example,when methionine is heated dry in air at a temperature in the range l50fl85 C. a pungent unpleasant odor is produced. When methionine is heatedunder reflux in water only a very weak odor is observable. Even incombination with glucose, methionine yields only a weak aroma afterrefluxing in water.

Methionine does not lead to or cause formation of a dark brown colorwhen heated in oil under deep fat frying conditions. At a concentrationsufficient for the generation of a strong aroma and flavor reminiscentof potato and potato chip only a light yellow color is developed in thematerial containing methionine when subjected to heating, such asheating in the presence of oil. Even in combination with glucose thecolor developed during heating in oil or in deep fat frying can bereduced to a light yellow by controlling the amount of glucose admixedwith the methionine.

In the practice of this invention only very minor, almost slight,amounts of methionine or methionine and a reducing sugar, such asglucose, are required to impart or to generate the desired flavor andaroma. Usually an amount of methionine in the range 0.0014.0 percent byweight, such as an amount in the range 0.0012.0 percent, e.g. 0.025-0.1percent when incorporated in oil or an amount in the range 0.0014.0percent by weight on a wet food basis when incorporated in a foodproduct, is sufficient to generate and produce a flavor and aromareminiscent of potato and potato chip. Larger amounts of methionine maybe used if desired. When a reducing sugar, such as glucose, is employedin admixture with methionine, the amount of glucose is usuallysubstantially less than that of methionine, such as an amount in therange about 1-25 percent by weight based on the weight of themethionine, usually an amount in the range about -20 percent.

The following examples are illustrative of the practice of thisinvention:

EXAMPLE NO. 1

This example illustrates the generation and production of an aroma andflavor reminiscent of potato and potato chips by heating methionineunder conditions of deep fat frying. Corn oil in an amount of 2300 ml.was heated in a household deep fat fryer to 185 C. and maintained atthis temperature. A saturated solution of methionine in water containingapproximately 2.7 percent by weight methionine was prepared. Twentycotton balls were each moistened with 1.5 ml. of the saturated aqueousmethionine solution and these cotton balls were then deep fat fried inthe heated corn oil for 3 minutes. The deep fat frying was continueduntil a total of 180 cotton balls were fried. The volatile flavor andaroma ingredients produced during the deep fat frying were collected andthe collected flavor and aroma ingredients had a strong pleasant aromareminiscent of potato and potato chips.

EXAMPLE NO. 2

This example is illustrative of the preparation of a cooking oil'havinga potato and potato chip flavor and aroma. The cooking oil used inexample no. 1, after deep fat frying of the methionine-containing cottonballs, was vacuum steam distilled at a temperature of 150 C. for 1 hourat a vacuum of 0.02 mm. Hg. The oil after vacuum steam distillationpossessed a pleasant and desirable aroma and flavor reminiscent ofpotato and potato chip.

EXAMPLE NO. 3

Corn oil in the amount of grams was placed in a container and 50 mg. ofmethionine were added to the corn oil. The resulting admixture wasstirred and heated. When the temperature of the admixture reached 50 C.a good aroma and flavor of potato and potato chip was developed. As thetemperature was increased the aroma and flavor intensified and at C. astrong odor and aroma were noticed. A potato and potato chip flavor andaroma were developed in the corn oil. When the temperature of theadmixture reached C. the quality of the aroma and flavor began todeteriorate and further increase in temperature resulted in an increasein the undesirable notes in the aroma flavor.

EXAMPLE NO. 4

This example is illustrative of the generation of a potato and potatochip flavor and aroma by heating a mixture of methionine and glucoseunder conditions of deep fat frying. Corn oil in an amount of 4.5 poundswas heated in a household deep fat fryer to a temperature of 185 C. andmaintained at this temperature. A saturated aqueous solution ofmethionine was then prepared and to each 100 ml. of this solution 0.37gram of glucose was added. Twenty cotton balls were then moistened with1.5 ml. of the resulting methionineglucose solution and the cotton ballswere then deep fat fried in the corn oil for 30 minutes. The frying wascontinued until a total of cotton balls were fried. There were developedin the corn oil an aroma and flavor reminiscent of potato and potatochip. Further, the cotton balls after frying evidenced a potato andpotato chip flavor and aroma.

EXAMPLE NO. 5

This example is illustrative of the use of methionine in accordance withthis invention to improve the flavor of potato chips. Two batches, acontrol batch and a test batch, of potato chips were prepared under thesame conditions using the same raw materials. No additive was employedin the preparation of the control batch. In the preparation of the testbatch 20 mg. of methionine were added for each 100 grams of potatoslices. The two batches of potato chips were then organolepticallyevaluated by a panel of eight members. There was a clear indication thatthe panel evaluated the test batch of potato chips prepared with addedmethionine as superior in flavor to the control batch.

EXAMPLE NO. 6

Potato chips were prepared from regular, commercially available corn oiland potato chips were prepared from a corn oil prepared in accordancewith the treatment described in example no. 2. Upon evaluation by anorganoleptic evaluation panel it was found that the potato chipsprepared from a corn oil treated in the manner described in example no.2, Le. corn oil which had been subjected to deep fat frying conditionsin the presence of methionine, were preferred over those potato chipsprepared from regular commercial corn oil.

In the light of the foregoing examples, it can be seen in accordancewith the practices of this invention that methionine can be employed toimprove or to enhance the flavor of potato chips, french fries and otherdeep fat fried or pan fried potato food products. The practice of thisinvention is particularly applicable to improving the flavor of snackfoods made from flour, meal or starch, even potato flour or potatostarch since such food products generally lack a potato or potato chipflavor. Additionally, the practice of this invention is also applicableto improve the flavor of foods made from dehydrated instant potatoflakes or granules by restoring the potato flavor and aroma and for thepreparation of an oil which can be used as a salad oil, a frying oil oras a spray on food products or as a component of salad dressing.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of theforegoing disclosure, many substitutions, alterations and modificationsare possible in the practice of this invention without departing fromthe spirit or scope thereof.

We claim:

1. A potato and potato chip flavor material produced by forming anadmixture containing an edible oil and an amount by weight of methioninein the range of 0.00l4.0 percent,

heating the resulting admixture to produce a volatilized product derivedfrom the methionine and oil in said admixture and condensing andrecovering the resulting volatilized product as said potato and potatochip flavor material.

2. A potato and potato chip flavor material produced in accordance withclaim 1 wherein the methionine in said admixture is heated under deepfat frying conditions.

3. A potato and potato chip flavor material produced in accordance withclaim 1 wherein said admixture contains a minor amount by weight of areducing sugar.

4. A potato and potato chip flavor material produced in accordance withclaim 3 wherein said admixture is heated under deep fat fryingconditions.

5. A potato and potato chip flavor material produced in accordance withclaim 1 wherein said admixture is heated to a temperature in the rangefrom about 50 C. to about 220 C.

2. A potato and potato chip flavor material produced in accordance withclaim 1 wherein the methionine in said admixture is heated under deepfat frying conditions.
 3. A potato and potato chip flavor materialproduced in accordance with claim 1 wherein said admixture contains aminor amount by weight of a reducing sugar.
 4. A potato and potato chipflavor Material produced in accordance with claim 3 wherein saidadmixture is heated under deep fat frying conditions.
 5. A potato andpotato chip flavor material produced in accordance with claim 1 whereinsaid admixture is heated to a temperature in the range from about 50* C.to about 220* C.